All design standards and improvements of the land development
plan for a proposed planned residential development shall also meet
the requirements set forth in the Middlesex Township Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance, except as expressly stated in this ordinance. If the provisions
of this section are inconsistent with other provisions of this ordinance,
the provisions of this section shall apply.
A. Planned residential development parcel.
(1) Planned residential developments are permitted within the R-1, R-2
and R-AG districts.
(2) The minimum number of acres that may be developed as a planned residential
development parcel is 30 acres.
(3) The development parcel shall be serviced by public water and public
sewers approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP). Utilities within the development parcel shall be provided by
a public utility and/or a local municipal authority.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
(4) The planned residential development parcel shall have a perimeter
setback, as defined by this chapter, which is a minimum of 50 feet
in depth around its entire boundary (except for street crossings),
which area shall not be included in any lot within the development.
[Added 3-20-2019 by Ord.
No. 133]
(5) No structures, stormwater detention facilities or parking are permitted
within the perimeter setback. Only landscaping, buffer yards, common
open space, and underground piping or lines for water, sewer, gas
and electric collection and/or distribution shall be permitted within
the perimeter setback. The impact of the excavation for and location
of utility lines on trees located on neighboring properties shall
be considered.
[Added 3-20-2019 by Ord.
No. 133]
(6) Ancillary nonresidential uses may be permitted in a planned residential
development parcel only if all of the following criteria are met:
(a)
Construction of the ancillary nonresidential units shall not
be permitted until 80% of all proposed dwelling units in the planned
residential development are constructed and occupied or ready for
occupancy.
(b)
The ancillary nonresidential uses shall be designed primarily
to serve residents of the planned residential development.
(c)
The ancillary nonresidential uses shall be limited to the ground
or street floors of a residential building containing multifamily
dwelling units or to a single freestanding building on the planned
residential development parcel.
(d)
The total floor area devoted to the ancillary nonresidential
uses shall not exceed 15% of the total floor area of all buildings
devoted to residential use in the planned residential development.
(e)
Any freestanding building proposed to contain ancillary nonresidential
uses shall not be located within 100 feet of any existing or proposed
single-family dwelling within the planned residential development
or outside the boundaries of the planned residential development parcel.
(f)
The maximum surface area of any business identification sign
for any ancillary nonresidential use shall not exceed 12 square feet.
Such signs shall not be illuminated.
(g)
Off-street parking for the ancillary nonresidential uses shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Article
XIII of this chapter for the uses.
B. Basic development parameters.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
(1) Development Reference Table: Table 1.
Dwelling Unit Type
|
Land Uses
|
Open Space Requirement
(percentage of overall site acreage)
|
Minimum Lot Size
(square feet)
|
---|
Type 1
|
Mixture of both of the following uses: detached single-family
and attached single-family. No one use may exceed 75% of the overall
mix.
|
40%
|
Single-family detached in R-2 — 9,000 square feet
In R-1 — 12,000 square feet
In R-AG — 15,000 square feet
Attached multifamily in R-2 — 4,500 square feet/unit
In R-1 — 6,000 square feet/unit
In R-AG — 7,500 square feet/unit
|
Type 2
|
Detached single-family only
|
40%
|
Single-family detached in R-2 — 9,000 square feet
In R-1 — 12,000 square feet
In R-AG — 15,000 square feet
|
(2) The minimum percentage of lots in the development which must meet or exceed base zoning district (R-1, R-2, or R-AG) area and bulk regulations (see §§
175-29,
175-201, and
175-245), rather than those standards in Table 1 above, is 35%.
(3) In order to encourage flexibility of development, variations shall
be permitted in the density and intensity of land use throughout the
entire planned residential development. Greater concentration of density
and intensity of land use may be permitted so long as the overall
density of the overall development defined in this subsection is not
exceeded.
(4) All single-family interior lots within a planned residential development
shall have a minimum lot width of seventy-five (75) feet as measured
at the building setback line.
(5) Other area and bulk regulations. In addition to the setback requirements of §
175-68, development on a lot within the development parcel shall conform to the lot requirements outlined in Articles
IV,
VI,
XIX and
XXIII as applicable.
(6) All lots located within a planned residential development parcel
shall be contiguous. Where more than one lot exists, said lots may
not be divided by an existing right-of-way.
(7) Continuity of development.
(a)
To maintain continuity between existing and proposed development
patterns throughout the Township and transitions of density, if attached
single-family units are proposed as part of a planned residential
development, said residential uses shall be located between any nonresidential
development proposed as part of the planned residential development
and single-family residential development proposed as part of the
planned residential development. If nonresidential development is
not proposed, dwellings of greatest density shall be located closest
to the arterial street/collector street to which the proposed development
connects to as its primary entrance.
(b)
Access to attached single-family units from an arterial street
or collector street shall not be permitted. A minimum of four said
units shall be accessible from any one designated access point along
an arterial street or collector street.
C. Maximum permitted density for a planned residential development.
(1) R-AG Zoning District: three (3) dwelling units per acre.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
(2) R-1 Zoning District: four and one-half (4.5) dwelling units per acre.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
(3) R-2 Zoning District: six (6) dwelling units per acre.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
(5) Calculation of maximum number of dwelling units. Fill in the following
table on the applicable official form as issued by Middlesex Township.
3a
|
Total site acreage
|
acres
|
3b
|
Minimum % of open space to be reserved
|
%
|
3c
|
Multiply Line 3a by Line 3b; subtract that number from the total
site acreage identified in Line 3a. This equals the maximum acreage
to be disturbed for development.
|
acres
|
3d
|
Maximum number of units. Multiply Line 3c by the density of the applicable district as identified in § 175-65C(1).
|
units
|
3e
|
Bonus number of units, if applicable, shall be applied to the
number of units calculated in line 3d
|
bonus units
|
(6) When calculating density, a fractional dwelling unit of 1/2 (0.5)
or more shall be considered an entire dwelling unit, while a fractional
less than 1/2 (0.5) shall be disregarded.
(7) In the event that a planned residential development parcel includes
property in two or more zoning districts, the maximum number of lots
within the planned residential development shall not exceed the proportionate
share of the number of lots permitted if the property was the subject
of a standard subdivision in each of the zoning districts.
(8) All data associated with the number of dwelling units shall be denoted
on the site development parcel (parent parcel) master plan (development
plan) to illustrate the location of dwelling units by type and the
quantity of dwelling units by type by phase of development. In the
event the applicant proposes to revise the total and/or allocation
of dwelling units by type within any and/or all phase(s), the applicant
shall resubmit the proposed overall master plan as part of an application
for tentative approval.
In the event that the organization or any successor organization
established to own and maintain the common open space shall at any
time fail to maintain the same in accordance with the land development
plan and in reasonable order and condition, the Township shall have
the right to maintain the same and assess the cost of such maintenance
on a prorata basis and as a lien against the lots within the planned
residential development parcel that have a right of enjoyment of the
common open space, pursuant to the authority and in accordance with
the procedures and requirements contained in Section 705(f)(2) through
(6) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code [53 P.S. § 10705(f)(2)
through (6)], as amended.
[Amended 3-20-2019 by Ord. No. 133]
A. To maintain adequate privacy and screening, structures on interior lots which abut the perimeter of the development parcel(s) must be set back in accordance with §
175-68C(3).
B. The perimeter setback of the planned residential development shall be screened with two evergreen trees and three deciduous trees for every one hundred (100) feet of length of the perimeter setback. The required vegetation shall be planted in staggered rows or in groupings to create a natural-looking landscape buffer. Where mature existing wooded vegetation sufficient to serve as a visual screen exists along the perimeter and no development is proposed within seventy-five (75) feet of the lot line, a fifty-foot (50') preservation strip may be substituted. Existing and planted trees shall comply with the requirements of §
175-140F and
G.
A land development plan may be tentatively approved only if
it is found to meet the following criteria:
A. The proposed land development plan shall preserve the objectives
of this ordinance and shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
B. It shall be fully served by public utilities without reducing the
level of service to the remainder of the Township.
C. It shall organize vehicular ingress, egress, and parking to minimize
traffic congestion in the neighborhood.
D. It shall be sited, oriented and landscaped to produce a harmonious
relationship of buildings and grounds within the development and to
the buildings and grounds of adjacent owners, and, to the fullest
extent possible, shall preserve the scenic, aesthetic, and historic
features of the landscape.
E. It shall not involve any element or cause any condition that may
be dangerous, injurious, or noxious to any other lot or persons.
The decision granting or denying tentative approval shall be
accompanied by or include a detailed analysis containing findings
of fact and relating to the following criteria:
A. A detailed itemization of aspects in which the proposed planned residential
development is consistent with the Richland Township-Middlesex Township
Joint Comprehensive Plan and the aspects in which it is not so consistent.
B. Any aspects in which the proposed planned residential development
departs from zoning requirements for similar development in other
districts and the Middlesex Township Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance otherwise applicable to the subject lot, including, but
not limited to, density, bulk and use, and the reasons why such departures
are or are not deemed to be in the public interest.
C. The purpose, location and amount of the common open space in the
proposed planned residential development, the reliability of the proposals
for maintenance and conservation of the common open space, and the
adequacy or inadequacy of the amount and purpose of the common open
space as related to the purpose, density and type of residential development.
D. The physical design of the proposed planned residential development
and the aspects in which said design does or does not make adequate
provision for public services, provide adequate control over vehicular
traffic, and further amenities of light and air, recreation, and visual
enjoyment.
E. The relationship, beneficial or adverse, of the proposed planned
residential development to the neighborhood in which it is proposed
to be established; and
F. The sufficiency of the terms and conditions intended to protect the
interest of the public and the residents of the planned residential
development and the integrity of the development plan.
If a proposed planned residential development is granted tentative
approval, with or without conditions, the Board of Supervisors shall
set forth in the decision the time within which an application for
final approval shall be filed. In the case of a land development plan
that provides for development over a period of years, the periods
of time in which applications for final approval of each part thereof
shall be filed may also be established in the official written communication.
Only with the consent of the applicant may the time between grant
of tentative approval and application for final approval be less than
90 consecutive calendar days, and, in the case of development over
a period of years, the time between applications for final approval
of each part of a plan shall not be less than 12 months.
The decision shall be in writing, signed by the Chairman of
the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Township Manager, and filed
in the office of the Township Manager, and a certified copy shall
be mailed to the applicant.